"Ambiance, ambiance, ambiance! That was the theme of The Dawson. The patio was lovely and as the sun set behind the skyscrapers of Chicago, it became all the more wonderful. The twinkling lights, beautiful vegetation, and the centerpiece: the show-stopping, quaint fireplace sitting at the back of the patio. This up scale, but not quite high end, restaurant hosted a wide range of parties the night I was there. From birthday parties, old friends catching up, girls night out, and romantic date nights, The Dawson can accommodate all. While the food at The Dawson was very good, it came up just a bit short for my party and I. Each dish we ordered had a minor issue that stopped it from being elite level new-American cuisine. The green goddess salad was a bit too tart, mac and cheese too peppery, lobster roll had a few pieces of shell, and the twice fried potatoes not quite as crispy as we thought they were going to be. The appetizers we ordered were very good. We had the Brussel sprouts and mussels and they were the highlights of the meal. I really struggled giving The Dawson 3 stars, but I also didn't think it deserved 4 stars. A more just review would be 3.5/5 stars. Overall, I'd return to The Dawson for the patio, but not sure I would come back for the food."
